Shadaze: The Unforgiven
by DarkBlaze14
Summary: Shadow doesn't typically live how anyone tells him to, but that all changes when a terrorist group releases a deadly disease over Mobius. As a survivor, he's taken to a haven away from the infection, but everything flips upside down when he questions and finds answers. And just when he thinks things couldn't get any crazier, he might be experiencing love for the first time.
1. Chapter 1

**Shadaze: The Unforgiven**

**Chapter I - Genesis**

_"You have to learn the rules of the game. __**And then you have to play better than everyone else**__."_

_- Albert Einstein_

* * *

><p>A single, thin beam of light shines into a small, slightly underground chamber through a crack in the door. Several voices can be heard outside, each one menacingly bitter, growing louder as time elapses. The one inside could've been the last being on Mobius for all he knew, so, at the same time, they are rather surprising. Curiosity is high for the poor being, but capability is not, as starvation continues to embed itself upon him, weakening him like slow torture. Oh, how tables turn. How they make one unable to remember when he or she had simple things like food or clean air. When things were right. The exaggerated creak of the door opening suddenly fills the space, along with the now unmuffled voices. The crack of dim light erupts into full-blown disgrace, symbolizing hope but reassuring reality. For, beyond it, lie the barren wastelands that have become of the world.<p>

It spread like a wildfire. Taking everything in its path. Demolishing lives and stretching possibility. Very few at this point are still alive; or at least, that's what has been assumed. It's hard to think of a king suddenly being dethroned and sentenced to work for his kingdom's peasants, but Shadow The Hedgehog, motionless, with only a wild stare indicating his consciousness, is feeling what it's like to be humiliated. To be powerless. That is, in his mind, the ultimate form of embarrassment. When controlling one's own destiny is not possible, because that one is not in his or her right mind. But leaving is not the practical decision when death is certain outside.

Two masked, brooding figures emerge, momentarily shielding the ebony hedgehog from the corroded world. Footsteps echo in the empty darkness as Shadow anticipates, only to find he is too fragile to do anything, and begins hyperventilating in his attempts to move. The figures come upon the skeleton, in all his weakness, and look at one another before nodding.

"We got a live one!"

The one on the left approaches, bends over, and takes Shadow carefully in his arms. His gaunt body quivers upon touch, and suddenly he feels an odd cross between relief and fear. The figure then carries him out into the open, and no matter how hard our protagonist tries, he can't seem to close his eyes and shield himself from what has become of his home.

Shadow thinks something terrible, wincing as he buries his head further into the figure's suit. He tries to say something to spite the whole situation, but can only mumble and moan. He wiggles a bit, and tries to grab his holder's tie, but is quickly shifted the other way. Knowing he's in trouble now, the hedgehog frantically kicks, and somehow manages to worm his way out of the figure's arms. Now face-down in the dirt, he growls, and starts to crawl away. Not to anywhere, just away. Inch by inch. Several other figures have joined now, all attired the same, all laughing hysterically at Shadow's glaring struggle.

"Ah, just end it." One of them says, indifferently.

Shadow continues to pull himself forward, but is suddenly stopped by a foot dropping like a boulder onto his ankle, snapping it in two. He tries to scream, but can't, as his body simply won't allow him to. Every ounce of energy, and it was merely an ounce to begin with, has already been used. He lets out a high-pitched whimper as more laughter erupts from the crowd behind. A sudden sharp pain ignites his senses; a needle is driven into his spine, and a substance is injected. The dark curtains of isolation finally creep together, sealing Shadow off from the holocaust.

Oh, what destruction. What _slaughter_. The tinted shadows of corruption have dawned their wickedness over Mobius. They have relentlessly sucked the life from everything that had it, and yet it seems that they want _more_. They _need_ more. It's truly amazing, the greed of some. Possibly more fantastic, the lengths some will go to in order to satisfy the sick sense. This is but the expected outcome of their wishes.

* * *

><p>The same black-and-red hedgehog sits alone in a small bedroom, his back against one wall, staring blankly at the one running parallel to it. Legs crossed and hands placed gently on his knees, he meditates at this moment, trying desperately to prevent his mind from drifting to where it needn't be. Everything around him is white. The uniform he wears is white. The life he lives is white. Purified as if one blemish would bring life back to the way it was before the incident, which, according to popular opinion, might as well have been as horrific as the incident itself when compared to life now. The hedgehog remains in this neutral position pondering these things, not trying to draw any conclusions from them, for conclusions are blemishes. If he does find himself interpreting his ideas, he'll stand up and pace around the room, in hope that movement might throw his concentration off balance. He knows he shouldn't have these thoughts. Curiosity is without a doubt a fault of his, but when there's <em>so much<em> left to question, it's difficult to be passive. A siren sounds off in the distance, and suddenly what seems like a million footsteps are heard just outside the door. Each set of prints plant and release, clicking against the floor until the crowd passes in favor of its rightful place. Several moments pass before there is another disturbance: three knocks at the door.

"You in there, Shadz? It's lunchtime!" A happy-go-lucky voice calls.

The ebony one closes his eyes, and sighs in a perturbed manner. "I heard the bell, Sonic."

"So c'mon! You gotta' eat, don't ya'?"

A few seconds later, the door is unlatched, and Shadow steps outside to greet his irritant. The blue hedgehog that waits for him sports a smile that seems to stretch across the hallway, only adding to the ebony one's headache. Still, however, he sees no alternative at the moment, and decides to walk alongside him. Two sets of legs covered by white pants and two pairs of feet in white shoes trudging along the white floor.

In short, Sonic and Shadow are anything but two peas in a pod. Whatever brought the two together has remained a mystery, but it is believed that Sonic did most of the talking when they first met. His persistence is possibly the one and only thing that binds them, other than the occasional intelligent conversation every other blue moon. Still, Shadow, normally a loner, and obviously the one with one foot outside the ring of the relationship, plays the role of the yin to his yang, speaking metaphorically. Something about the friendship, alliance, whatever one may call it, entices the ebony one just enough to not devise an immoral end to it. The contrast is so great, in fact, that they have been able to figure every little detail of one another out in a considerably short amount of time. One might be led to believe that they had actually known one another before the incident, but should one ever inquire about the theory, they would swear it false. They would simply swear if asked whether or not brotherhood ties them.

"So, what's up?" Blue finally asks, adding nonexistent color to the situation. "You look a little down."

Shadow keeps his eyes ahead, "It's nothing. I've just... Been thinking, is all."

Sonic laughs to himself, "About _what_? Your social life? Heheh... That'd make me sad, too..."

"_Mature_."

They reach the end of the hallway, which leads into the large and open cafeteria. Rows of white tables fill the center of the room, each one surrounded by others in the same white shirt, pants, and shoes. The preciseness of everyone almost gives off a sense of being surrounded. No one would ever guess there's only around three hundred left. Sonic and Shadow walk along the outskirts of the area, and soon come to their lunch line.

"Ah, c'mon... You know it's true." The lighter hedgehog gives a small punch, resulting in an eye roll. The line moves, and now Sonic approaches a female echidna standing at the end of it in front of a computer. He holds his wrist out underneath a scanner until it beeps, and then the lady proceeds to navigate her eyes across the screen.

"Let's see..." She says, "Hello, Mr. Sonic. Your allowed meal for today'll be two Class A's and two Class B's."

Blue pouts, "Aw... No dessert today?"

The girl smirks, "Now, now... You know what happened last time..."

"Ah, fine." Sonic sighs, and walks forward to the buffet.

Shadow brings his own wrist to his face, and squints at the tiny number line imprinted like a tattoo across it. It reads 'C-8003', meaning that his bedroom is in the C-wing of the complex, and that he was only the third one brought to Sanctuary after the D.O.N. was released. The eight stands for new, everlasting life. He places these defining symbols under the scanner.

The girl smiles. "Hey, Shadow... Let's see here... Two A's, a B, and a C, sweetie."

Ebony walks forward, and picks out two drumsticks, a scoop of corn, and a slice of cheesecake. A green-tinted drink is handed to him as he makes his way over to where Sonic is sitting. Off to the right of them, in an open room, a crowd of people are gathered around a blue cat-boy with a visor on his head, who swings and kicks atop a pedestal as if in combat. Everyone stares at a large screen above, seeing what the boy sees. Shadow, while content with his distance from the scene, takes interest in it.

On the screen, some sort of large automaton is depicted creeping through a seemingly deserted city, a dense fog impairing sight as much as darkening the scene. Crumbled, aged buildings line the streets, each one seemingly empty, but one can never be too tedious. For that reason, the robot enters one after the other, searching for some sign of life. What it will do with said life remains to be seen. The HUD on the corners of the screen tells the score of the session, about twenty thousand, and the health of the player, completely full at the moment. Inside one of the houses, in a dark room, the figure comes upon a locked chest at the end of a tattered bed. It breaks the latch, and opens the box to find several cases of ammunition. This appears to peak the interest of the bot, who begins to search every inch of the place. The guns are later found in the basement of the building, hanging on the walls, almost in an inviting way.

"Oh, _jackpot_!" Cries the crowd behind the boy.

The screen shows the player taking everything he can hold, and sprinting out to the empty streets.

Sonic speaks through the food in his mouth, nudging his friend. "So what's your high score?"

"Never played."

"_What_? What do you mean never played?" Sonic asks, slightly dumbfounded.

"I _mean_..." Shadow replies, "I don't have any interest in taking part in silly games. My pastime consists of _peace and quiet_, and that is all."

Back on the screen, the robot has made its way to a small shack, presumably populated, a little ways from the gun-house. The assumption becomes reality when the gamer approaches a small figure sleeping on the ground, and the whole scene suddenly gives off the feeling of a sly smirk. It places its weapon on its back, crouches, and, as the gamer makes a swift movement with his arms, snaps the snoozing one's neck. Points appear on the screen for a moment, and are then added to the total. The player sprints back out to the streets.

Momentum pumping, the cyborg draws its gun, ready to strike again. However, a sudden dark feeling arises when a silhouette of a figure is seen off in the distance in the player's peripheral vision, standing under some trees. The crowd gasps, and before the player can react, a sort of whizzing sound dominates all senses, and the automaton begins to slowly fall over like a large tree. The screen darkens, and the infamous '_game over_' sign appears next to the gamer's final score.

"_Err_!" The boy throws his helmet, and stomps his foot. "I _hate_ that guy!"

Sonic chuckles, and turns back to his food. "Aw, poor kid. Could've milked that hideout forever."

Ebony glances back at the dispersing crowd, and shakes his head. "I just don't see the pull in it."

"So what do you do, then?" Sonic asks, in all seriousness.

Shadow pauses for a few moments, and then stares into his eyes. "I know your game, Sonic. You try to crack me. I'm not an open person."

Blue smirks, "Yeah, I _know_. You're like a _serial killer_."

Suddenly, their attention turns to several figures in white aprons walking down the rows of tables, pushing carts with syringes laid out on them. They stop at each individual for a moment and give them a chance to settle down before injecting a substance, throwing the needle away, and continuing on pushing the cart down the line.

Sonic groans, "Again? _Seriously_? Didn't we just-?"

"Oh, stop whining." Shadow interrupts. "It's not that bad." His bravado is short-lived, however, as two nurses approach Sonic and him simultaneously. He nods, and his stomach drops as the long needle is drawn. Shadow winces as it is slid up into a vein in his wrist, and remains there until all is displaced into his bloodstream. The nurse quickly removes the syringe, places a band-aid over the insertion point, and, without a word, is on her way.

The cobalt one rubs at his wrist, "Gah... _Good God_. That one left a sting." He fixes his eyes on his friend, "This is getting ridiculous."

The darker one looks at the bandage, and then to the nurse, now across the room. "I _know_. They're coming more often." He sighs, "You'd think it's trying to wear off."

Sonic shrugs, "Well... You know Him. Can never be too careful."

"I know." Shadow looks around again, and leans in for a whisper. "I just... I was actually just thinking about all that. All this, I mean. It all seems a little..." He pauses, and his eyes widen. He drops his gaze, and stares off into a fantasy. "Just-just a little..." He clutches his head, wincing, trying to resist whatever has overcome him. Finally, he slams his fist on the table, and screams. After a dreadful silence, a tightness forms in the ebony one's chest, and he quickly stands and turns away, leaving Sonic absolutely dazed.

Shadow paces himself back to his room, careful to not look different from those around him. He keeps his mouth tightly shut the whole way, restraining himself, until his door is quietly shut behind him. Breathing heavily, he falls to the floor, crawls over to the far wall, and sits against it. He pulls off his shirt and brings his hands to his face, focusing on nothing but getting through the moment. Sweat pours off his face and rolls down his chest, completely soaking the white patch of fur on it. He stands, using the foot of the bed to support himself, and remains still for a few moments with a feeling of weightlessness in his head. After regaining his balance, he makes his way over to his nightstand, where a bottle of water sits. The hedgehog snatches it and takes a quick gulp, hoping that dehydration is the problem. On the contrary, the tightness shoots up to his throat as the liquid is making its way down, and the inevitable is now upon him. He runs to the bathroom and leans over the toilet, where he vomits everything he ate. The release is relieving but daunting, as he is not familiar to the situation. Quivering, he grabs a few tissues, and wipes away the remains on his mouth before flushing away any trace of the scene.

The hedgehog plops onto his bed and grabs his forehead, swearing. His breathing finally slows down after a few moments, and soon he almost feels at ease. He reaches over and takes another sip of his water, trying to wash the taste out of his mouth. He lays for a while, watching the door as if an intruder will come if he takes his eyes off it. Now that he's mostly in his right mind, he curses himself and, for that matter, everything about the world. He stands, and plants his palms on the white wall next to the bathroom, trying to decipher what actually just happened to him.

A knock sounds at his door again, "_Shadow_? You okay?"

"Y-yeah... I'm fine." He hesitates, "Just get in here."

Sonic enters, and immediately shoots a questioning glance at the situation.

"Lock the door." Shadow says, turning and sliding down the wall to the floor. The blue one does so, and sits down, legs crossed, a few feet in front of the other hedgehog. After few painful moments of silence, and after it is made sure that no threat is present, the darker hedgehog whispers, "I... I had a vision..."

"A _vision_? _What_? Why are we whispering? Why's your shirt off?"

"_Sh_! Pipe down!" He snaps, "I don't want anyone to hear this!" Shadow adjusts himself, and starts again. "I just got done puking my guts up, and these shirts are tight as hell. I had a _vision_. I... I don't know what it was... But my mind just went blank. I saw nothing but... But me... I can't even remember what it was about." He draws closer to his confidant, "But, I think it was trying to tell me something..."

Sonic keeps a straight face for as long as he can before exploding with laughter. "Wh-_what_?!" He clutches his gut, "Do you hear yourself?"

"_Shhhh_! What part of '_pipe down_' don't you get?!"

"Shadow, this is crazy, and you know it." Sonic replies, "Why do you always have to find some sort of meaning behind everything? Just accept what happened, and move on. It's okay! They're all gone now! What do you worry about so much?" Several moments pass without an answer. "The vision... It's probably just a side-effect from the injection. I think you should be more worried about throwing up. Do you want me to go get a nurse, or-?"

"No!" Shadow suddenly intervenes. He then settles down, aware of his own excitement. "Nobody can know about this..."

The blue one's blank stare followed by a chuckle pulls the emergency brake on the conversation. He shakes his head, "Okay. Whatever you say, buddy." He stands, and heads for the door.

Ebony pursues him, and halts him with an extended hand. "Seriously..." He grabs Sonic's shoulders, and looks into his eyes with the most serious face. "This _never happened_."

For the slightest moment, Sonic sees the barbarous nature of Shadow's gaze. The blue one sees the concern, and almost becomes concerned himself, but ends up smiling and shrugging the feeling off. He makes a zipper motion with his fingers and his lips, "You have my word." With that, he leaves Shadow in the emptiness of the room, the bright light on the ceiling beaming down, exponentially magnifying the white around him. The hedgehog takes a few steps, and sits in the middle of the blankness, his knees on his chin. He rocks slowly to and fro, trying desperately not to think, trapped in his own paradise, his own silence.

* * *

><p>Underneath it all, several rooms all used for the same purpose make up base of the complex. The one in the center is the largest, and, as always, the most populated. Inside it, small desks are linked together to make a large circle in the middle of the room, and more line the walls. Each one plays host to a worker, who works diligently and hastily on his or her given task. These workers are like seeds to a watermelon; plentiful, but necessary. They carry the workload of the Sanctuary, and never miss an irregular heartbeat in doing so.<p>

The bright glow of a computer shines on the face of a man in the darkness of the room, reflecting in his glasses. He comes upon something, and leans back in his chair. "It seems there's been a disturbance, sir, with one of the citizen's bodies." He calls.

Moments later, a black silhouette appears behind him. "A disturbance? With whom?"

The man does some scanning, "Uh, Citizen Double-O-Three, sir."

"I need a name, son."

One click later, a profile is pulled up on the screen. "Shadow The Hedgehog, sir."

"Ah, Shadow..." A white smile becomes visible, and then fades. "That's... Odd... He's one of the only-" The figure pauses, and leans forward to take a closer look at the screen. "Do we know what sort of disturbance?"

"No, sir..." The man nervously says, looking over his information once more. "It appears that connection was disrupted before anything could be downloaded."

The hidden figure stands upright again, and ponders. "Hmph..." He strokes his cheek, "It's probably nothing major." He begins to turn and walk away, but catches himself before he's out of earshot. "Let's just keep an extra eye on him... Just in case."

The man nods, and proceeds to tap away at his keyboard, each tick adding to the millions of ticks around him that fill the silence of the room, add individual lights to the darkness, and carry hundreds of stories through the walls.

* * *

><p>Shadow has tossed and turned all through the night. Not that it's anything new; most nights, in fact, he decides to forego sleep simply to deal with his inner turmoil. He quickly decides that it had been a horrid plan to try and rest his eyes on this particular night, as it's almost painful to him to lie down. Thought is a curse, not a blessing, and currently it feels like little knives are being driven into his skull with each subject matter that passes through his mind. Memories haunt him, and each time he attempts to make something of his past, he comes upon a new realization that further provokes his brain, and he becomes severely confused. Finally, after hours of keeping his eyes closed and lying to himself that he's asleep, Shadow jerks up, and runs his hands over his face. He pulls at the torso of his shirt, as he once again feels sealed inside it. He sees the door to his right, but in the same moment feels a sudden heaviness dawn on him that prevents movement. He knows that it's locked from the outside, anyways. He's tried before. It will stay locked until daylight, just as it always has. Sometimes, he longs for the stars. He never realized how easy it might be to forget what they look like. Stars symbolize hope. If one can simply look up after sunset and clearly see these things that are trillions of lightyears away, who knows what's possible?<p>

Ah, hope. The very motive of one's existence. Hope can be many different things to many different people - it can be a celebration, a painkiller, or maybe, even, if used in the past tense, an annoyance. Shadow The Hedgehog would never admit it, but he used to, in some distant past before his world caved in, hope for _love_. The companionship of another absolutely fascinated him; two souls bound together through thick and thin, no matter the circumstances. How it could even be possible! He's always been a thinker, but every time he tries to consider the question, something pulls him away. As if his mind prefers that it remains a mystery to him. He's truly not sure if he even _wants_ to know anymore. With his newfound callous nature, even if an opportunity would present itself to him to reveal an answer to it all, he'd be sure to miss it. Not that it would matter anyway, given his current position.

But it's been a while for him. It's like there _is_ no more hope; like this is all his life will ever be. Surrounded by empty space. Sometimes, when he's sure no one could possibly read his mind if they were capable of doing so (moments like this, in fact), he ponders if all this is worth living forever. Or if, in fact, survival in the first place was worth it. Sometimes, he curses Zizan and everything they did, because, well, they did everything. That disease. Disease Of Nothing. Named after what was left behind after the virus had made its rounds. It's _still_ out there. Still lurking in the air. Shadow cringes, and shuts his eyes tight at the thought of it.

_"I guess I never really had a choice in the matter..."_ He mumbles to himself, turning over again. After contemplating the situation as a whole for another half-hour or so, he decides, for the moment, that the worst case scenario is far behind him, and that the alternative fate chose for him should be accepted gratefully. Still, he knows that his complacency will not last for long. Soon enough, he will be up, pacing around the room again, fearful of what evils might enter his mind next. He knowingly, yet unwillingly, allows the thoughts to weight his eyelids, forcing him over the bridge from thoughtful, blemished reality to deep, narrow slumber.

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><p><strong>(( AN: What's up peoples?:D Welcome to my newest fic! I've been planning and planning its debut since... Oh, January or so, (I wish I was kidding...) so I'm very excited about this! I hope it turned out alright.;) For reasons unknown, I've decided that I'm only going to do one other A/N this story, (and that'll obviously be at the end) so I suppose I should explain myself now.**

**First off, let me just say, to those who don't already know, that I'm planning on making this fic GREAT. Like, ****_really_**** good. Or, at least... I'm trying to.X,D That's my main motivation for writing it, at least. You all know I'm never confident about my writing, but this is simply the best story idea I've ever come up with. Period.:p **

**I'm not saying that I'm only writing this for glory... But... Uh, that would sure be nice.X3 So, if ya' like this story and think it's awesome, tell some friends! Spread the word! Tweet it, hashtag it, take a selfie with it, go crazy!XD Because this is gonna' be good, I ****_promise. _****And, uh... It kinda' took six months of me going ultra-perfectionist to write the first chapter... So I could use some motivation!XP **

**So send those reviews in, PM me, do whatever you like, and tell me what you think. Of course, that includes criticism, complaints, flames, the whole nine yards. I want this to be the best possible experience for you guys, so never hesitate to tell me what I can improve on, m'kay? Together, we can make this amazing!;D**

**So, uh, yeah! This'll be my first Shadaze fic!:D Yes, I normally bleed Silvaze, but I don't hate the couple, and they definitely fit the plot line best.X) I'm looking forward to it. Should be interesting.;3 **

**This is actually going to end up being more canon than you think, but... Ya' know.X,)**

**Updates are going to come as often as I can make them...:/**

**Hmm... I think that about does it for me! I hope you all enjoy, and I guess I'll see you all on the other side!:D**

**Thanks for reading! Love you all! ))**


	2. Chapter 2

**(( A/N: Sorry, going back on my word here, but I forgot to mention one important thing! I keep status updates of all my fics on my profile's bio, so if you're ever curious about how far along I am with the latest update for this story, just check there!:D**

**Also, had to cut this chapter a little short so I could get it published. Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for being patient, this takes a lot of thought to turn out (near) just right. Y'all are champs!:)**

**Okay, see ya' on the other side! For real this time!XD ))**

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><p><span><strong>Shadaze: The Unforgiven<strong>

**Chapter II - Numbers**

* * *

><p>The next morning, a drowsy Shadow makes his way down a grand hallway on the A-wing of the Sanctuary. Shamefully enough, he's never traveled the path before; he's never really had a reason to. He enjoys the confinement of his room, and the relaxation he occasionally receives from staying there. Of course, after the events of the previous day, he's decided it best to venture out a little. He's actually quite angry with it all, how he was never in control of his actions. Now that he <em>is<em>, he feels like making a few decisions. Even simple ones, like where to walk or who to talk to. They may not be the brightest ones, but to Shadow, it's better than the risk of literally thinking himself to death. He averages about one acquaintance per wing of the building, and there is no telling what has drawn him to this one. Soon, he comes upon a door that sports a number he had remembered from a previous event - a number he never would've guessed he might need. He lowers his brow, and sighs embarrassedly before knocking upon it. This whole thing is one embarrassment. He's just glad no harm came to him via the higher levels because of it.

"Who is it?" A sing-song voice calls from inside.

The hedgehog hesitates, not sure if he should turn away or face his chosen adventure. He calls back, keeping his voice low but audible. "It's... It's Shadow."

"Well, _crikey_! C'mon in, mate!"

He rolls his eyes before entering, and immediately the sight of an orange raccoon with her face against the far wall strikes him. The hedgehog runs his hand over his forehead and eyes, "Oh, _Hell_..."

"Hi, Shadow!" She exclaims, wearing a wide, excited smile. This is not seen, of course, as she does not bother to remove herself from her original position. "What brings ya' here?"

Ebony ignores the question, and shakes his head after wincing. He speaks slowly, "What are you doing?"

"_Oh_! Right!" She laughs, turning to face her visitor. "Y'see, I figured out that when I stare at the wall for a very long time-"

Shadow shakes his head, holding out his hands. "_Nevermind_. Listen, Marine, I need to ask you something."

She walks over, and sits on her bed. "What's that?"

This relationship might be the most perplexing of the lot, as Marine is possibly the only being in (what's left of) the world that is more unlike Shadow than Sonic. Again, no one really has a clue how these two came about; it is supposed that Shadow once became caught in one of her endless rambles, but it seemed to entertain him more than annoy him. He might, strangely, be the only one left that can put up with the girl. Truthfully, Marine is anything but one to go to for wisdom, but since Sonic had shown no appetite for assistance yesterday, so be it. When Shadow's thoughts are meaningful, he sees no paths to confidence nor assurance without sharing them.

"Do you, uh... Do you ever have... _Suspicions_?"

"About what?"

Shadow takes a moment to gather his thoughts, "Just... _Everything_. What we've been through. How we got here. Where we are now." The raccoon tilts her head, perplexed. "You mean you don't think anything of it?"

"_Oi_! Don't sit there, mate. Chair's broken."

Ebony stops, just before seating himself. "_What_? How did you-?"

"Well, see I was standin' on it, and-"

"Oh, save your breath." He interrupts, halting another subject change. "I'm serious though, don't you ever... Just think about it?"

Marine looks away, and suddenly, before Shadow's eyes, her whole persona changes. Her serious look almost deviates his focus away from what she says: "_Do I ever think about it_? I mean... Ye, 'course I do. Don't we all? I think about what everything was like before the whole disaster or whatevah." She smiles, "Have I ever told you about how much I loved the water?"

"_Too much_."

The raccoon sighs, "But now it's all gone. I don't know, I guess it changed me a little. A lot, maybe. I _act_ now what I used to _be_, all happy and such. But I just can't." She looks to him, "I know sometimes it seems like I have a few 'roos loose in the top paddock, but truth is, I really just miss the way things were. I don't know what to do anymore."

Shadow's jaw drops before he can rejoin, "Wow. I... I didn't expect that from you, Marine..."

"But, a-anyways," She shakes off the mournful feelings, "Why ya' ask?"

Ebony leans against the wall, and crosses his arms. His tone lowers, "Because _I've_ been getting suspicious lately. I just think it's odd we never see this '_Lord_' of ours, the one who supposedly _built_ this place and _brought us here_. You'd think we'd at least know his true identity. And nobody's ever seen a picture of what the world's like _now_ - who knows? There could be _life_ outside of this place. Maybe the disease died out - or is _dying_ out - maybe one day we'll be able to go back and live like we were before all of this. But it's like they don't even _consider_ that! How long has it been that we've been here?"

"Year and a half, about." She answers, quietly.

"_Exactly_!" Shadow pleads, "So why does it feel like we're still getting to know this place?"

Marine giggles, "Well, mate, in _your_ case-"

"You know what I mean."

She shrugs, "Strewth. I can't disagree."

He sighs, "I don't know. I just don't know. It's all very strange. I shouldn't think these things."

"I mean, hey, we're alive, right?"

Shadow turns, and bows his head to think on the matter. "Indeed we are." Upon doing so, he also notices a black item sticking out from behind Marine's nightstand. He bends over and takes it in his hand, simultaneously realizing what it is: a small marker. He looks to the raccoon, "Where did you find this?"

Marine looks at the writing instrument, and laughs. "_Oh_! That's where that went. I dunno', I think I found it on the floor in the hall."

"May I keep it?" She nods as a response, and Shadow makes his way to the door, still studying the 'impurity', one might say, of the thing. He turns before quitting the room, "Thank you, Marine."

"Come back anytime, mate!" She smiles, as if the previous conversation has already wormed its way out of the clutches of her memory.

Ebony once again retreats to his quarters, trying not to draw any unwanted attention to himself. His efforts are successful, and he hastily shuts himself inside his room once he reaches the desired door. Thankful to be out of any possible eyesight, he takes a moment to relax in the silence. Before long, he walks over to his own nightstand, and places the marker on it. He then sits on the floor next to his bed, where he soon loses himself in deep meditation.

* * *

><p>A very quiet lunch table is where Shadow finds himself a few hours later. With a cleared conscience, he solemnly and mechanically eats his given meal, content with whatever mindset he's in. Sonic is off playing the video game, and a large crowd has subsequently surrounded him. Shadow too watches him from a distance. The television is at such an angle that he can't quite pick out what's going on, but Blue has been up there for a while. The crowd seems more absorbed than in the occasion yesterday, but that could simply be a product of Sonic's reputation.<p>

However, the fact that a milestone has been reached becomes realized when joyous shouts erupt from the gathering. More quickly rush to the scene to admire the high score. Sonic is hoisted and carried around the room. Shadow, for the most part, attempts to ignore the jubilation.

Blue soon joins him at the table, after he receives a few more pats on the back. He sighs deeply, "_Man_... I can't believe you haven't played that thing."

Shadow finally looks up, and almost gasps at how bloodshot his acquaintance's eyes are. He narrows his brow, "How long were you on that thing?"

Sonic thinks, then shrugs. "I dunno'. Seven hours straight, give or take."

Ebony shakes his head, "I believe that's past unhealthy, Sonic."

"Speaking of unhealthy, did ya' ever see a nurse yesterday?"

"_No_." Is the quick answer, "I told you that I'm not-"

Sonic shakes his head, "And _why_? What's gotten into you?"

"_I'm_ perfectly fine." Shadow remarks, half-heartedly. "It's everything around me. Something's not right, Sonic. I'm telling y- _oh_, don't look at me like that. I'm not in the mood for a rebuttal."

"But you're being so stupid!"

"I am _not_!" Ebony exclaims, "If anything, _you're_ the one expressing ignorance!"

Blue's expression softens, "Look, Shadow... You lost a lot. We _all_ did. And I get that it's hard to live through, but beating yourself up over it won't help anything. Just be glad we're-"

"How can I be _glad_?!" Shadow snaps, his tone changing to a sharp whisper. "How can I be glad that we're going to spend the _rest of eternity_ in this place?! Did you not have any ambitions?! How are you content with this? How can _I_ be-?" He stops, and takes a few moments to calm himself again. "I... It's something about my past."

"What?"

"What's been bugging me. Something about my past." Shadow restates, "When I think about how life used to be for me... It's like there's something _missing_."

Sonic tilts his head, "Like what?"

"I don't know." Is the accepting reply, "There's something I just can't quite put my finger on."

"Then how do you know something's missing in the first place?" Blue laughs.

"Oh, _shut it_. I don't need your reason."

"No! _Really_! I wanna' know more now."

Shadow shakes his head, "You're impossible."

Sonic chuckles again, and stays silent until his friend finishes the last of his food. "You should come play The Cleansing. It'll take your mind off things."

"I don't need mindless games to aid me." Shadow remarks, obstinately.

Blue grins, "True, you _need_ medication. I thought the game could be a nice substitute."

Ebony stands, and turns to face the hallway to the right. "I think I'll pass."

"Oh, don't tell me you're going back to your room!"

"What's it to you?"

Sonic stands as well, and puts his hand on Shadow's shoulder as he walks past. "C'mon, let's go outside."

This 'outside' is not what one would think, of course, as the true outside might as well be nonexistent. The outermost part of the Sanctuary is but a long balcony that stretches all the way around the complex, really a useless addition to the grand scheme. It is rarely ever inhabited, as there is not much to see. If one were to lean over the rail of the terrace, nothing but darkness stretching to infinity would be seen. This gap in time (which is also fairly useless except for, say, suicide) stretches outwards for around ten feet, where the inside of the 'bubble' resides. Yes, a bubble seems the most suitable word. No one really knows what it is or what to call it, but it is some way of quarantining the area so the infection can't reach the Sanctuary. The bubble is slightly translucent, to where one can barely make out the sky above. There is no sun, however, and come nighttime no stars will be visible. Not that they don't shine; in fact, no one can be certain the stars _aren't_ visible. Everyone is locked up in their rooms far before the brightness of the day fades.

Sonic and Shadow lean against the rail, looking out to the blue-and-white possibilities. The blueness also stretches outwards, leading some to believe that the Sanctuary is actually placed _in_ the sky. Theories have of course come and gone amongst the residents, but the subject is widely deemed insignificant.

Sonic gives his arms a stretch before placing his hands back on the rail. "So _that's_ what's been making you act this crazy? A lost memory?"

Shadow sighs, "If it was that simple, I'd have an answer for you."

"But you think that vision had something to do with it?"

Ebony adjusts his gaze to the darkness below. "I don't know what it could've been. I didn't get a chance to really chase it. It was gone before I could register anything I saw."

The silence resumes, and remains for quite a while without break. "What do you believe, Shadow? What do you really think?"

A vague question, yes, but its meaning is understood. After some deep thought, a true response is never formed. Shadow finally scratches his head, frustrated. "I'm not sure if I'll ever figure it out. It's like nothing seems just about it. Just thrown into this place, never to return..." Another silence insists.

Sonic looks to his companion, examining his tired and disbelieving expression. "Well..." He ruptures the stillness, "You've got more balls than me for considering it. That's for sure."

"Hm. _Thanks_. That's what I was going for." Ebony turns again.

"Going back to your room?"

"I am."

Sonic chuckles, and slouches once more on the rail. "Alright then. See ya' tomorrow, Shadz."

Now inside his cave, Shadow sits on the floor again, marveling at the far wall. For whatever reason, while speaking with Sonic, another 'vision' baffled him; one not as sudden and, obviously, not as emotional. Everything through Shadow's eyes has turned a deep tint of red. He sits here, staring at the crimson oblivion, just trying to make sense of it. After some time, the color fades, and suddenly the white wall is completely covered in numbers. Thousands of small black numbers, it seems, some more prominent than others, and some in lengthy combinations. The hedgehog squints in disbelief, and stands to examine the spectacle. He puts his hand to the wall, but the numbers don't fade. They are all changing at different times, similar to a coding system of some sort. Shadow does his best to study them quickly, but after realizing that they aren't leaving any time soon, he decides to sit and continue his amazement with it all. He slows his breathing to stay calm. The numbers spread to the other walls, and before long he is surrounded by them. Something catches his eye after examining the new sets and combinations, something unexplainable. He takes another look around before slowly fixing his eyes on the black marker, still sitting quietly on the nightstand.

Time graces Shadow with but one more second of control before he suddenly becomes overwhelmed with a new struggle. He begins sweating and hyperventilating again, and quickly flings off his cage of a shirt. He buries his face in his forearms, now lying on his side, and brings his elbows to his knees. Without warning, the fantasy assumes complete dominance of his senses, and he becomes lost in its force.

Everything is stained with bright white splotches. Shadow looks around and barely make out a few wires around him along with a yellow light above, but it is all very blurry. A large figure approaches, colored a mixture of orange, peach, and red. It seems threatening at first, but after a few incoherent, soft-spoken mumbles, Shadow decides the contrary. He can't remember anything prior to these events.

"Ah, _finally_. Hello there, my friend." Are the first words Shadow can clearly comprehend. The figure moves in closer, and extends his hand. This makes the hedgehog adjust himself. "No, no, don't be afraid. I just want to show you around."

After thinking on it, Shadow grabs the hand, which proceeds to help him out of whatever he was trapped inside. Ebony takes a few wobbly steps, but soon gains his balance. Everything is still a blur as he begins to walk alongside the figure, down a bridge to the main part of the building. The man who has helped him continues to speak, but his words are horribly muffled. The white splotches still hinder any clear vision, and suddenly an external force turns him down a hallway to the right. The man is confident but slow in his stride, a trait that Shadow quickly attempts to replicate. The two walk for what seems like forever, one silent and the other speaking without an audience. Finally, after many twists and turns, they stop at a doorway, and the man turns to face the hedgehog.

He sighs before speaking, directly to Shadow this time. "You're going to have a rough future. A _very_ rough future. You'll be confused about many of the things you see; you'll be curious about what those around you do. You may not understand this yet, but there are a lot of people out there who want to hurt you. You're with _me_ now, and I _will_ protect you." He places a hand on Ebony's shoulder. "I'll do my very best to educate you on what you need to know, but it's going to be complicated. You won't..." His words fade to a slur once more.

The door opens to reveal a young girl, aged somewhere from ten to thirteen years, sitting quietly at a desk. She holds a tight grip on a pencil, staring intently into the notebook she writes in. Upon hearing the two enter, she turns her head, and locks her blue eyes on Shadow's crimson. Her blonde hair parts in the middle, and flows down past her shoulders like a golden waterfall. Her smile is warm and inviting. It is selfless, without corruption or envy. It is free of evil, free of sin. The most attractive characteristic of it, however, is that her smile is _truthful_.

In reality, Shadow is left on the floor, twitching, completely submerged in unconsciousness until morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Shadaze: The Unforgiven**

**Chapter III - Proverbs**

* * *

><p>It's been around a week since insanity drained Shadow's being. He's isolated himself, limiting contact with other citizens as much as he can. Every day it's been the same cycle for him. He only comes out to eat lunch, which he does rather quickly in order to avoid Sonic. He then shuts himself back inside his room, where he hopes to escape to some serene paradise where everything makes sense. He stays like that until morning comes once again. The numbers still invade and plague him (although in smaller quantities), slowly gluing themselves to his vision. Of course, the constant paranoia is more of a concern. If he wasn't already deemed an outcast amongst the residents, he most certainly is now.<p>

On this particular day, however, something has strayed Shadow to the balcony. He walks slowly, listening only to the clacking of his soles against the slick surface. Although he blends into the whiteness around him, his mind screams to him that he stands out. In his isolation, he deals with many conflicts. His internal and external states lie on opposite sides of his destroyed world, despite residing in the same extreme. Every now and then, he looks out to the sky, and wonders if this whole place really _is_ part of some afterlife. Or if it's all a dream. He's willing to consider a number of scenarios at this point.

While on his third lap of the complex, he comes upon Sonic, who lazily and calmly leans against the railing. Seeing that there is no way to avoid the confrontation, Shadow decides to feign sanity as he approaches him.

"Oh, hey Shadz." Blue says, a tad surprised. "Where've you been?"

Shadow places his hands to the rail, and once again examines the emptiness below. Even against complete darkness, the numbers remain prominent. "I've... Been ill." he finally answers.

Sonic nods, and joins in the quiet. After a few moments, he becomes restless, and fills the silence with the sound of his heel repeatedly tapping his ankle. He adjusts, and fixes his stance once more before finally becoming comfortable. "So... You're good now?" he inquires.

"I don't think I'll ever be '_good_', Sonic."

Blue chuckles, "Well, not with _that_ attitude!"

A sigh escapes from some gaping hole in Shadow's being. Several sets of numbers shift in his vision.

With not much more to say, both hedgehogs soon become lost in some linked reverie. Even their thoughts refute one another. While Sonic is creating symbols in his mind, Shadow is being forced to stare directly at his own. It isn't clear whether or not the latter is envious on this account, but one can only assume he doesn't see the beneficial irony.

Contrary to popular belief, Fate has been very generous to Shadow. Fate isn't the omnipresent demon that lurks in his conscience - in fact, she is the only one who can be credited for Shadow _having_ a conscience. This demon is man-made. Oh, if only it were known! But, after all, pointing fingers at Fate is the most convenient option. It's hard to see that Fate _chose_ Shadow, because the brain is blind to the fact that Fate can be _altered_. There is but one man in the history of time who has come to this realization. Of course, eventually there will be another, and then another, and another, until it is just common knowledge. That's how information works. However, there is always an exception, and this exception - the entirety of Shadow's "_life_" - has held unimaginable implications, thus leaving that original realization discovered but uncharted. Fate has chosen Shadow to be the next in line, because she has deemed him the worthiest out of those left in the world. She is not wrong. Fate is _never_ wrong.

Of course, these are but deeper connotations that no one could ever see with the naked eye. So it is expected that Shadow cannot understand this, and most likely will make nothing of it, as his eyes are the purest tools in his possession. And Fate - yes, _only_ Fate - shall decide whether or not these tools are to be used as advantages or detriments. At any rate, Shadow is just focusing on what he has been "blessed" with, and no amount of meditation or thinking can help him comprehend what is necessary for his given role.

These numbers are only seen by Shadow, and this is now what sets him apart from the rest in the grand scheme of life, natural or artificial. Not Sonic, not Marine, not even the almighty can experience these things. Shadow makes it his duty to commit the codes to memory, as he does, if anything, see a humorous pastime in it. Then again, one could imagine how hard they would be to forget.

Just as Ebony is about to mention these spectacular illusions to Sonic, which would've finally granted him the possibility of a shift, an unusual noise directs both hedgehogs' attention away from their thoughts. Both turn to the door leading into the cafeteria, where something equally unusual - something unfathomable, even - is occurring. They rush through the double-doors to see this chaotic scene unfolding, in which a female, pale rabbit is being carried away by several large figures. She has a vacant look in her eyes, the look of one who is not only defeated, but _suffering_ in defeat. It is presumed to be the look of death, or the slow creeping thereof. Her sharp, quick breaths are the only indication that it has not yet consumed her. The rabbit's face is blighted with weeping impurity, as small black pores cover her otherwise handsome features. Her weak limbs sport more of the same, although with greater surface area to spread over, they become larger and more striking. Her politically-deemed imperfections resemble those of the Plague or an equally harmful skin infection. The poor girl is absolutely helpless as she is paraded through the place, unknowing and uncaring as to whomever might see her in this state. Needless to say, the nervous and hasty group around her does not express similar feelings.

After the men charge through a mob of timid onlookers, the girl is carried down a narrow hallway and into a mysterious, typically locked door. The mindset of Shadow is akin to practically that of everyone else; he is not capable of comprehension at the moment. Or at _any_ moment, for that matter.

Without warning, a certain whiteness fills the world. Not that of the walls, floors, or uniforms; no, this whiteness is far brighter. It is far more complex in its simplicity. This is the actual _presence_ of purity - of innocence itself - and for the slightest moment, it seems to create a gap in time, into which Shadow is tossed like a rag-doll. For a split-second, he sees no codes or visions of the unattainable. For what seems like eternity, he cannot find himself. Like a burglar, this emptiness snatches it all away from him. And yet, Fate looks down upon her ebony hedgehog with eyes of the fearless. She acts as if this is just another natural occurrence in everyday life. Whether or not it bothers her is truthfully unknown, although it is widely accepted that no amount of counter productivity will see her downfall.

The grotesque vastness that unfolds before Shadow's brain, just as his story as a whole, cannot be evaluated by the pure. It is not the plainness of a routine or formula that yields answers; it is the ability to see _beyond_ the whiteness that allows Shadow to progress in his quest for factual serenity. This too marks his difference in a world of the same; where this whiteness perplexes his _mind_, it fills others' _souls_. The fatalistic effects are not the same by any means.

In any event, Shadow finds himself in the same routine again after an undefined lapse of time. He wakes, eats, considers meditation, curses his visions, and strays to the balcony once more. Indeed he can tell something is not right, but he assumes the extent of this feeling lies within his aforementioned cycle of madness. Shadow pauses for a moment to stretch his limbs, and in doing so, the ambiguous colors of the outside assert their dominance upon him. Ebony leans against the wall of the complex as he admires the beautiful array. Slight dashes of purple are mixed in the bright blue beyond the bubble, creating an image that is as wonderful as it is distant. The white of the "clouds" seem inferior to the two, although it is needed to give the latter definition. The colors spread out above him, stretching across his confused world. The numbers that would normally mar the scene seem to blend with it; they slow their contortions and flashes as if the they're somehow tamed by the presence of natural beauty. Shadow takes a few extra moments to study the peculiar shade of lavender before continuing on.

Of course, this calmness, much like everything in life, is temporary. Within twenty paces of his unforeseen escape, Shadow once again meets Sonic, who has kept his dependency upon the railing. Everything turns upside down at the recognition of this abstract déjà-vu; Ebony's numbers return with a certain jolt, along with a newfound static in his vision. _"Static"_ not being an official assessment, but rather the closest word to resemble his latest visual impairment. Its sudden approach proves to be too much for Shadow's brain, and he drops to the floor in a fit of distortion. He attempts to stand as Sonic runs to his aid, but can only fall back to his knees. Blue says and does several things, none of which are heard nor seen, as if Shadow's body has temporarily forgotten how to function with sense. Ebony ignores the assistance, and slides back against the nearest wall, mumbling some sort of denial.

Sonic worriedly grabs Shadow's cheeks, continuing in his attempts to grasp his compliance. Sadly, he is not aware that his efforts decrease in effectiveness as they increase in rigor. Sonic's image is but a blue blur in the smeared nothingness of the moment. It is several tense moments before Shadow can control himself again.

"_Shadz_! Shadz! Oh, man, I gotta' go get someone!" are the first words he can understand that have any impact on him. Ebony sees - well, not truly sees - he feels Sonic rise and start off. Shadow flings his leg out, and trips the blur before he can report the situation. The two rise simultaneously.

"_No_!" Ebony stumbles over to Blue, and holds him to keep from falling again. He looks around skeptically before whispering, "Follow me."

After nearly an hour and a wobbly trek through the building, Shadow's vision and mind have finally cleared once more. Now, he paces about Sonic's bedroom, elaborating every minute detail of his complaints. Sonic, who would've preferred to remain unaware of the struggle, lies on his bed staring up to the ceiling. Blue finds ways to amuse himself with Ebony's words, playing with their surface rather than their content. Shadow isn't entirely ignorant to this, but one can only hold his or her breath for so long.

Shadow's tone is soft but sharp as he ends a particular phase of his rant, "You know?! I... I can't take this anymore!"

Something calls upon Sonic to intervene. He props himself up with his elbows, "And you have a plan B...?" he remarks. No answer. "Where else could you possibly go, Shadow?"

"I don't know! All I know is I'd rather _kill myself_ than deal with this shit another minute!"

Blue shakes his head, "Why can't you just accept that this is what it is? Why are you all-of-the-sudden having these problems?"

"You act as if it's self-inflicted!"

"And I'm supposed to know it's _not_?"

"_I'm_ the victim here!" Ebony raises his voice momentarily, shoving his hands to his chest. "You think I'm making this shit up?! What would I have to gain?" he spreads his arms out, continuing his wide array of gestures. "I have _no control_ over my actions right now!"

"Well, if _that's_ your definition of a victim, I think we're all-"

"_Gah_! You don't understand." Shadow interrupts. He begins to grab at his quills, "And you'll _never_ understand, Sonic! Because you don't see the things I do!"

Blue adjusts himself, and crosses his legs, diving deeper into the conversation. "Oh, really? Like what? Your stupid visions?"

"No! Forget that!" Ebony persists, "I mean that I'm simply a rational thinker, and for some unknown reason, you can't comprehend basic logic!"

Sonic laughs for a response, provoking a frustrated glare from his acquaintance, who seems to advance to the door. However, he halts himself at the corner of the room, and remains mute for several moments. After calming himself, Shadow points directly upward, where an odd rounded object hangs from the ceiling.

"Sonic, what is _that_?" he asks.

Blue is obviously confused, and takes a moment to certify he had heard the question correctly. "Uh... A _light_?" is his answer.

Shadow turns around, with an expression that would typically signify praise for Sonic's insight. "Alright, a _light_ you say." he places his hands behind his back, and examines the object further. "Have you ever seen it on?"

"...No." replies Sonic, after a pause.

Ebony nods, "Then why is it there? What is its purpose?"

Blue scratches his head, "To... Light stuff? I don't know!"

"I thought you just said you've never seen it on."

"Shadow, what the Hell are y-"

"Don't avoid the question!" is the halt to Sonic's inquiry. "Why is it necessary to have these '_lights_' in our bedrooms, when they never come on, and there's a lamp on each and every nightstand? Why must one be placed every five feet in the hallways? And on the outside?! No one is even out there after sunset! So why?! Why is it that we can't go anywhere without one of them hanging over us?! Nobody knows what they do, and even if they actually are lights, they have no purpose!" Shadow stops, as he had begun pacing again in his sudden stream of consciousness. He starts at another thought, but can't quite catch up to it before he's interrupted.

Sonic mumbles something offensive and inaudible before commenting on his friend's rant. "This whole thing is _nuts_, ya' know that?"

This earns a chuckle from Ebony, who has just seen his efforts go to waste. "And proving my point, you don't understand reason."

"No, I just don't understand why your reason is _necessary_." explains Blue, "And I'm sorry for that, but the fact of the matter is that you don't make any sense to me. Call me stupid, call me ignorant, but I honestly can't see where you're coming from." he leans closer, "I'm worried about ya', Shadz."

"Hmph. _Yeah_. Me too." is the calm response. Shadow squints at the far wall, shrugs at something, and moves towards the door. He places his hand on the knob, and just before quitting the room, he fixes his eyes back on Sonic's. "You know, I used to _always_ hear stories of Heaven. Of Paradise, of Salvation. But, ever since we've been here," his slow and soft voice allows his words to marinate over his listener's brain, magnifying their effects. "Not a _word_."

Ebony waits until Sonic sighs before making his exit. In the hallway, he is almost immediately passed by the female rabbit who played such a helpless role in the catastrophic scene earlier. He tilts his head and, in his thought, almost allows her to disappear around the corner. "_E-excuse me_!" he finally calls, surprising himself as much as she. Ebony approaches her, and takes a moment to form his thoughts into words. "Are... Are you okay?" he finally asks.

The girl's happy disposition would normally render an inquiry such as this void, but to Shadow, there is just enough uncertainty to deem it necessary. The rabbit takes no offense in it - in fact, her smile grows brighter for a moment. "Am I _okay_?" she giggles, "Of course!"

Shadow looks her over quickly, and in doing so, forgets why he questioned her health in the first place. The numbers in his vision spread out around her, as if she repels them with her perfection. She says something.

"Huh?" Ebony returns.

She laughs again, "I said, why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's nothing..." the hedgehog's eyes shift to the floor, and he scratches his cheek. "I just... I thought, maybe - you were - uh... Never mind. Sorry." and with that, he turns and trudges away, shaking his head beneath his hand.

* * *

><p>In an undisclosed place and time - although it is worth noting this location might as well be in a separate galaxy from the Sanctuary - the eyes of a black, sleeping beast open to see the humiliation they've been subjected to. The green orbs give light to the monster's cage, which is some clear tube placed in a dark chasm, almost as dark as the creature himself. He shatters his pen with ease, sending shards of the capsule sprinkling to the floor. The liquid that had surrounded him inside violently rushes outward, the product of many years of confinement. The last element to escape is the beast himself, who falls to his knees in the middle of the scattered fragments.<p>

It is now that he reluctantly notices his form. A certain emptiness inside him had held suspicions, but now he is able to confirm them. Memory has left him as much as strength, only adding to the severity of his situation. He pulls himself forward, dragging his body as if it's an inconvenience. His head aches - not in a normal fashion, but rather as if it is not completely in his possession.

Eventually, he feels the rough, rocky wall against his forehead, and slides his back against it. The monster doesn't allow his head to drop, although he has every right to. _Darkness_ - pure darkness is all that accompanies him in his disgraceful solitude. Envy and an empty search for revenge are the only items left in the eyes that once struck fear into the world. Now, they are nothing but mirrors to a corrupted soul with no purpose. **Where they are forward, they are downfall; so much is the world, so much is morality.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Shadaze: The Unforgiven**

**Chapter IV - (Intercalary)**

* * *

><p>Inside a small, dark cave, the last two <em>truly<em> pure beings in the world remain. A male and a female, whispering to one another, lying face-to-face behind the warmth of a fire. They are forced to reside this way, to the former's understanding, due to the fact that there is literally nothing left outside to benefit them. They must find sufficient company in themselves if they are to survive. And even then, there are no guarantees; in fact, the odds are largely against them. They are defeated, and yet He smiles. Whether it is an attempt to complement her expression of surprise, or a means of quelling his own feelings of the inevitable, his face would never foreshadow their worst, most probable scenario. It is not known if She is troubled by this, as her right to comprehend has been stripped from her, yet her intelligence is not to be matched. So much is quite the shame, indeed, but this observation is better reserved for the situation as a whole.

"So, basically," She affirms, "that's what happened to-"

He nods, "Yes."

She rolls onto her back, and stares up into the darkness while processing this newly acquired information. She begins to pursue a thought, but refrains, and shortly after asks, "Why should I trust you?"

He chuckles - a testament to how much his experiences have changed him. "Because, honestly, I'm the only one left who really cares about you."

After a few moments, his grin fades, and He continues. "You know, believe it or not, you and I have been through a lot together. You helped me in ways I could've never imagined. You were my comfort; my _salvation_, even." they turn their heads, and peer into each other's eyes. "You're the only one I've ever put my full trust in."

Her eyes drop, and adjust back on him. "Did I disappoint you?"

He contorts his face in an attempt to foil his tears, and shakes his head, "No..." He assumes a horizontal position again, "No you didn't. And you don't know how much that means to me. As you can tell I've..." He struggles to release his words, "I've been lied to my entire life. Hell, there are probably a lot of things I still don't know. It seems like every time I think I have it figured out, something new arises. But you... _you_ were always the one that I knew would never deceive me. Throughout all the confusion, all the stress, all the pain, you were there for me." He allows his words to settle before finishing, "It was a wilderness out there, and you were my guide."

While She does not understand the true meaning of his words, She feels the emotion that lies within them. He shifts to his side once more, and runs his thumb across the side of her muzzle. This seems to comfort her for the slightest moment, before a distant but jarring noise disrupts their peace.

"What was that?" She asks, with a raised brow. He slowly rises to his knees, and twitches his ears. Nothing is heard again for several moments. Careful to not upset the calmness they've created, He begins to creep up a small incline to the entrance, motioning for her to stay put.

The true coldness of the night immediately nips at him as He pokes his head above the ground's level. Thick snowflakes trickle down from the Heavens, landing upon their predecessors with a gentle impact. Without knowledge of the invincible dangers that patrol the world, one might be led to believe that this is merely a gift from the Angels; a simple beauty for the natural eye to behold. Of course, _with_ said knowledge, it embodies the isolation that is endured on the road to death. The horizon is remarkably dark. _Everything_ is dark.

That is, with the exception of one small, sweeping light, far off in the distance. While it is operated by a small group, it stands as a symbol of its own - the last bridge to finality. It trudges on with a sense of determination, although it is miles away from what it seeks. Rolling left, rolling right, halting in intervals, attempting to reveal the sins of those who haven't committed any. He stares in the direction of it for some time, allowing the snow to fall onto his head and bare shoulders as it pleases. Maybe, if She were with him, He would remain in that position and allow himself the liberty of freezing to death. To die in the coldness, just as He came into the world. If She would only follow him to the end of the world She doesn't understand, just as She once did, the two of them could rest in peace under a white blanket, under their own conditions.

He rises, and crawls out a few feet from the cave. He rests his back against a large rock, and continues his study of the horizon. The light grazes his vision one final time before turning westward, and resuming its search in that direction. He sighs, and now stretches his numb limbs across the soft flakes, looking upward for some answer that He asked for long ago.

"Peace," He says, not entirely to himself, "Love, Hatred, and War. They're all made - all _created_ - under the same Moon. The Hearts that Embrace are the same Hearts that Destroy. The Hands covered in Blood are not changed when covered with White Gloves. _Souls are Souls_. How, then..." He spreads his arms out, and pleads, "How is it possible? We're all the same." He looks to the cave opening, and slowly begins to stand. "We're _all_ the same."

Cold and shivering, He makes his way back to the warmth of their hideout. He stops himself before relaying the origin of the noise that had intrigued them, seeing that his partner is fast asleep. She is obviously not inconvenienced by her position, which only adds to his anguish for her. The dim, flickering light of the fire casts small shadows across her face, magnifying her already intense beauty. Something turns over in his heart; He approaches her, and places a kiss on her forehead before moving himself to the other side of the heat. Facing the darkness with a tear-stained muzzle, He pulls his knees to his chest, and enters into some deep, desirable reverie, in which He attempts to reflect upon the Impossible, the Improbable, and the True. His story must continue in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

**Shadaze: The Unforgiven**

**Chapter V - Exodus**

A side-room filled with an eerie, inviting silence is the demon into which Shadow has crawled, largely against his own will. His blue counterpart is his only current follower, but surely that will change once their motives are known. Of course, these goals differ between the two - whereas Sonic seeks a bit of lighthearted amusement, Shadow desires a diversion for his madness. Given that he once promised himself he would never grace the surface of this platform, one could only imagine how serious his condition has become. Only God knows how much time has passed since that illness was realized. This is no exaggeration. The officials who typically supervise the residents at these events are nowhere to be seen.

Shadow steps onto the stage, placed in the middle of the area for all to see. Sonic closes the transparent door at his friend's request, but this quickly proves pointless. Not only does it magnify Ebony's embarrassment and disgrace at the betrayal of his ideals, it ultimately draws unusual attention to them. An audience begins to gather just outside the doors, people content with piling on top of one another instead of actually entering the room. This could be a result of courtesy or ignorance, but it certainly wraps the Sanctuary in a state of awkwardness. Shadow sees this, and can only sigh as he passively looks to the large screen in front of him.

The helmet, controller, distraction - whatever one may call it - is given to him, and placed on his head, over his eyes. Immediately, a scanning process begins, and several light beams run over Shadow's body. Almost a minute passes before a buzzing noise is heard, and the anticipation begins.

Suddenly, he is immersed in a world far from his perception of reality, yet closer than he could ever fathom. The picture is hazy at first, but soon an elaborately decorated cyborg becomes clear. Actually, no - this is no robot, as was once thought. It is some heavily armored being, and the setting seems to be aboard an airship.

"Ah, hello novice. You have joined a noble cause. I'm sure this all seems very confusing to you at the moment; your memory was cleared upon entry. Nothing to worry about, of course - it is but a standard military procedure. Allow me to inform you of our situation.

"We are Lytic, the last remaining species in the Outer Arm of the Galaxy. Our brethren have starved due to a lack of resources in our home sector. With great resilience, we have managed to survive the longest, but we are slowly growing weaker.

"Your objective, then, is to assist in the extraction of resources from the Inner Planets. Clear this world of any life, so that we may work with no interruption. Failure to do so will result in our extinction. You will most likely be met with resistance, but we are stronger than they are. I'm counting on _you_, Shadow, to save our kind."

A panel of the ship opens, and the world below becomes visible. Before he jumps out, Ebony hears one last command:

"_The Cleansing has begun_. _Kill everything that's not one of us_."

With that, Shadow is deployed. He lands on a calm beach with a great impact, and finally has control of his actions. He takes a moment to acquaint himself with how the game feels, noticing that he is much lighter than what he had assumed. He jumps in reality to confirm such, and his character jumps with him. He also notes something extremely peculiar - he can feel the breeze of the ocean on his back. This realism worries him for a moment, but soon he shrugs these feelings off, wandering over to what seems like a tropical forest to the right. Before he comes within ten feet of that, however, a warning sign appears on his HUD, and the entire screen begins to flash red.

"Oh, right. That's out of bounds, Shadz!" Sonic calls. "The whole place is pretty much forward and to your left. You just spawned in a weird place, it looks like."

Shadow nods, and continues on in the correct direction. The world seems deserted, with the exception of a few waypoints that are scattered about the screen. His movements become more natural after a few minutes, and he searches for a high point to scan the environment. He approaches the edge of a valley-like area, which seems to stretch out for eternity, yet encloses hope all the same. Suddenly, the screen flashes blue, and several hazy patches of red flash below. Shadow understands the meaning of this, and begins his descent into the Vale of Hell.

The events that follow seem but a formality; indeed, Shadow's orders are carried out to the best of his ability. He doesn't possess a gun yet, but no weapon is necessary to silence those who cannot speak. The beings of this world, as it appears, are in a dire situation of their own. Naturally, their weakness is met with force, and the outcome is inevitable. So much is not a complication of nature, but rather an embodiment of historical assertion. Take a life here, take a life there - it's all in the spirit of survival. After all, the past is meant to be an answer, not a question.

By and by, Shadow does come upon a firearm; a small, silver revolver with a few words carved into its barrel, lying harmlessly in the dirt. He picks it up, and checks to see that there are only three bullets remaining in its chamber. He shrugs, and decides to take it anyway, hoping that it will provide a bit of levity at the very least.

Just then, a figure appears in the distance, unaware of Shadow's presence. It walks slowly off to the right, turning its head as if it is searching for something. Shadow then draws the pistol, and lines up his shot. Honestly, the monotony of his mission is almost too much to bear, so a pull or two from the trigger would be a nice change of pace.

The gunshot echoes several times in Shadow's mind, increasing sharply in volume with each passing. He falls to his knees in reality, and rips his helmet off to relinquish his ears of the pain. The noise doesn't stop. He shakes his head violently, tugging at his quills and beating on the platform. The crowd outside the room are left in awe at the scene, until they must part in order to let Shadow's scrambling frame pass.

He sprints down his hall, unaware and uninterested in any aspect of the present. He sees something, although it's not clear what; his numbers have returned, as distinguished as ever, though they seem to be searching for their places. They cross over one another repeatedly, so much that their appearance is nearly reduced to a blur.

Ebony enters his room, and finds that he barely possesses enough willpower to shut and lock the door. He's reduced to the floor again, and by this point, his mind is submerged in another hallucination. This one is familiar to him, though, and while he can't make sense of what he sees, he certainly recognizes it. Not just on a level of remembrance; this time around, he feels a deeper connection with what is being presented to him.

Before him is the blonde-haired girl that Shadow has seen glimpses of. She is sitting at her desk, writing in her notebook again. The room is large in an unsettling way, and is only lighted by a reddish glow above them. It is unusually silent; the kind of silence that allows one's own breathing to be heard.

Shadow stares at her for some time, but she never looks up. A few seconds will pass, she will lift her pencil, press it against her chin, and then she'll carry on. He takes a final glance at her before walking to the large window in the room, and looking into the hypnotic depths of space. He begins to study each star, wondering how far away they might be. Wondering if he could ever reach one. He notices the peculiar outline of something, and when he draws closer, a figure reveals itself. Shadow jumps slightly.

"Do you see yourself?" the girl finally asks, approaching Shadow from behind. He continues to stare. "That's you," she explains, "that's what you look like. It's called your _reflection_." She kneels down, and places her arm around his shoulder, pointing ahead. "And see? There's mine, right next to yours."

Shadow approaches the glass, and touches hands with the hedgehog on the other side. This makes the girl giggle, and her image disappears for a moment. When she returns, she bears her notebook and pencil again, and seats herself on the hard floor. Shadow mimics this, but continues to stare at both his reflection and the stars, deeply considering a possible connection between the two. Or, perhaps it isn't the tangible aspects of space that arouse his mind. He stays like this for quite a while.

"And, there. Come look at this!" the girl eventually says, motioning Shadow over. She presents a drawing of him, one that doesn't possess an abundance of artistic prowess, but is recognizable nonetheless. In the picture, Shadow is sitting just as he previously was, but he wears a closed smile as he looks at a lavender flower in his hand. There is no background, but the symbolism here is not intentional. "What do you think?" she asks.

"I like it," Shadow affirms, running a finger along the page, "it's good." With that, the girl tears the page out, and places it on the floor in front of him. Shadow continues to stare at it, and before long he finds himself emulating the expression in the drawing. As he does, he also realizes how that might've been the girl's motive in the first place. She hadn't seen him smile before.

"Shadow?" It's the first time he's heard her say his name. "You wouldn't know this feeling quite yet, but it gets really lonely up here without anyone to talk to. Would you like to be my friend?"

"_Friend_?" he echoes.

The girl nods, shaking some of her yellow hair to the front of her head. "Friend. It means that we can have fun together, and no matter what, we try to protect one another."

"That sounds nice. I'd like that." A wonderful feeling overcomes Shadow, and suddenly he is seated at a table across from the girl, in the midst of a game of cards. They are still in the same room, although it is much less intimidating to Shadow now that he is familiar with it. Both are older now, which is an observation only made apparent by the girl's appearance. The cheerful air about the scene doesn't last for long; just as they go to speak, there is a loud knock - nearly an assault - on one of the two locked doors.

"_Shadz, are you in there_?" a voice calls.

The girl drops her cards to the floor, with a terrified look, "_Shadow_! Hide!"

Another knock. "_Listen, Shadow, you gotta' come out of there. People are getting suspicious_..."

"Shadow,_ please_! I don't want them to take you away!"

"I can't leave you here!" Ebony exclaims, unmoved.

"_I only want to help_..."

"Yes, you can!"

Shadow grabs the girl's arm against her wishes, and leads her to the unpopulated doorway. The room is flooded with men in black armor, but that is the only description there is time for. The pair rush down a heartless hallway, away from both danger and hope alike, as the same doors are passed over and over again. They remain trapped in infinity until Shadow's mind endures another crack of the gunshot, which sends him stumbling back to his blighted reality. There, he lays on top of his numb right arm, his elbow pressing harshly against the floor, quivering in fear and shock. His breath is choppy and his head is ringing, so much that he can't tell if anyone is still beating at his door. A few tears trickle down his cheek. He doesn't understand why.

* * *

><p>The next day - or two days after, how ever long he slept after that incident - Shadow does not heed the breakfast bell. Sonic has not arrived at his door, for whatever reason, leaving Shadow to his meditation for an extended period of time. His shirt is not only off, but ripped to shreds on the floor. He has made up his mind. Either he will find some reassurance, or he will find the other side of existence.<p>

With this thought as motivation, Shadow moves his bed beneath the air vent on the ceiling of his room, breaks the metal from the plaster, and climbs upward. Truthfully, he had no idea he could get any higher than he already was. Perhaps the Sanctuary is not the impenetrable cathedral he had thought it to be, but contemplations such as this are meaningless at the moment. Shadow crawls through the metal unit, which is more spacious than expected, but not comfortable by any means. His pathway is dark, the only light coming from the rooms he passes over. In comparison to normality, his movements are loud; but then again, what is normality?

After an excruciating amount of time inside the bloodstream of this beast, Shadow comes upon an unusually placed outlet on his left side. He glances out of it, more or less because of its convenient proximity, but what he finds is shocking. An orange raccoon - yes, at another look this is Marine - strapped to a table, struggling to release herself. The dark frame of a man circles around her, his voice soft but audible. He continues whatever lecture he had been giving, unaware of Shadow's presence:

"Let's see here, where do I even begin with this one? Assaulting an officer, blasphemy, and an _illness on top_? Oh, no no no, madame, we can't have any of that." He completes another lap of the area, further studying whatever is in his hands. "So what do you have to say for yourself?" is what he puts forward, removing the bandage over Marine's mouth.

Her voice immediately matches her face, "Piss off, ya' useless cunt! I know what you're up to, you and your whole crew! I didn't want to believe it-!"

"Now, now," the man interrupts her, "let's not jump to any conclusions..."

Marine coughs, but returns with a more sinister look, "If you don't let me go this instant, I swear to God-"

A deep laugh cuts her off again, "Oh, silly little girl. Haven't you learned by now?" he steps forward so that he towers over her, looking into her eyes, "_I am God_." He opens his hand so that its contents can be seen: a syringe. At this point, Marine has become less defiant and more fearful. The man toys with this, swaying the needle back and forth as he speaks. "_I_ play your strings. _I_ am your judge._ And you are unforgiven_." A violent, upward thrust of the tool to her neck is met with an equally fierce gasp.

"Marine!" Shadow helplessly cries out, drawing the man's immediate attention. Escape is the only option.

Just as the eyes of morality disappear back into the darkness, the man rushes over to a phone on the far wall. "There's one in the vents!" he screams at whomever is on the line, "Get Shadow the Hedgehog, and bring him to me! _Now_!" A loud smash - broken plastic. A white flash or two penetrates the room from beneath the door. Marine's twitching body erupts into a seizure, but halts just as sudden. Silence. The man removes his gloves with shaking hands, struggling to catch his breath in the thick air of corruption.

Shadow is left to find his bearings, flailing himself forward as quickly as he can. He kicks himself into the open at the first exit he sees, dropping down into an unoccupied bedroom. He enters the perpendicular hallway, also empty, and makes a sprint for the balcony. This, indeed, is the part of his plan he had hoped not to carry out. Under the current circumstances, however, it's easy to say that he doesn't have much of a choice. Tears are streaming down Shadow's face again, impairing his vision slightly, more so than any numbers could. His instincts lead him outside. Miraculously, he hasn't been spotted yet. Like a wasp witnessing murder. Maybe this is just how it was meant to be. Perhaps knowledge is more deadly than ignorance.

One more glance around. Shadow is alone, which is just what he always wanted. Before his mind can object, he runs forward, and leaps over the edge of the Sanctuary into oblivion. With his arms spread out, he falls into the darkness like an angel descending over Armageddon. Shadow is not prepared for death. He is not ready for that exchange of monsters.

Back inside, in the mad scramble of personnel and bystanders, the distressed man has made his way to Shadow's hallway. The gravity of the situation doesn't become apparent, though, until he reaches Shadow's room. He breaks the door down, completely expecting to find the cowering hedgehog, but instead is stopped in his tracks. Around the room, thousands of numbers and codes are written on the walls in black marker. Hastily done as well, as if the combinations were nothing more than the alphabet. And yet, the only letters that are sketched are on the left wall, just above where Shadow's head would lay at night. "_M-A-R-I-A_", it reads. For the man, this is more horrifying that the prospect of losing a resident altogether. He breaks into a sweat, scratching excessively at the side of his head. He swears, and stomps out in frustration. The first ever shadow of doubt over his power has risen.


	6. Chapter 6

**Shadaze: The Unforgiven**

**Chapter VI - Eden**

Shadow wakes to the remnants of a dusty world; his first sight is of the brown mountains that taper off on the horizon. Their bases connect the plains through which death itself has crawled. Above them, the sky of a world desperate for answers. Shadow's neck cracks in several places as he looks the opposite way, where a few trees are visible in the distance.

This unsettling contrast provokes Shadow's immediate action, and he digs his fingers into the dirt to push himself to his feet. He feels the tension sitting in every crevice of his body, patiently waiting for its potential to be released. He brushes more soil out of his chest fur; the front of his pants and shoes, which are the only clothes he has, are left stained a light copper. His joints continue to pop as he starts off in the direction of life.

As dust turns to patches of grass, and patches of grass to forest, the calmness of this world is disrupted. Harsh voices are heard in reasonable proximity, piquing Shadow's interest. He draws close to their origin, but remains hidden behind a few bushes. He finds two female foxes grappling one another, occasionally swinging fists and elbows in attack. It is not clear what they are in conflict over, but the situation turns serious when Shadow notices blood streaming from one woman's forehead. A blade lies in the grass some five yards away. There is more snarling and shouting, but Shadow chooses to leave before he can make out any of what they're saying. His heart rate is increasing by the second.

Shadow walks on, and eventually begins to pass others on his trail. They all stare daggers at him, as if he is encroaching upon their enclave, attempting to loot their land. Never had he seen anyone look at him like this before. At the same time, everyone appears - for lack of a better term - _lifeless_. Perhaps Shadow's recent experiences are to blame for this description, yet he can't help but note it. Still, he trudges along with no direction but forward, just as all the ignorant do.

There are no numbers remaining to guide him, deter him, whatever they might have done to him. Shadow wanders these lands for hours, seemingly distancing himself further from whatever civilization is left with every footstep. The sun migrates from high above his head to eye-level, and then disappears behind the edge of the planet. Long after the stars and moon reveal themselves, Shadow finds a dim, orange light in the distance to the left, and his body cannot help but follow his mind to it. He comes upon a deserted street, littered with the crumbs of buildings once strong. He lays down next to one of the brick foundations, making sure that the piles of debris shield him from any reality. He cannot think, he cannot question; too little, too late. Slumber takes him as quietly as the night passes.

A pulse of energy jars Shadow's sleep the next morning, followed by a blood-curling cry. The hedgehog lugs himself to the edge of the street, remaining hidden behind debris, curious but weak. His eyes shoot open at the sight of a massive figure, probably eight feet tall, towering over a defenseless female on the other side of the road. The villain is very peculiar, wearing some kind of silver-colored armor that covers every inch of its body. Further examination is soon made unwanted, as it kicks the woman a few times before wrapping its hands around her neck. Shadow's desire to help is outweighed by terror, and he darts in the opposite direction, escaping the torture of witnessing another slaughter.

His run turns into a walk, and so too his shock to confusion. His heart finally slows itself; as he looks around, he feels that something is familiar about whatever this place is. It's not calming; in fact, it's rather eerie. As if he's walking through a dystopia in his own backyard. What a dystopia it is.

As Shadow's stamina is regenerated, his bewilderment boils to anger. The anger that arises when one has been wronged, but no one is there to witness it, because no one is at fault. Yet, he doesn't know _why_ he feels this way. Shadow falls to his knees in a fit of madness, beats the grass below him, and sends curses to the sky. Just as he does so, he realizes it's the first time he's seen the bare clouds in quite some time. It's not fair. Something terribly wrong is happening somewhere in the world - he saw it first hand. But now he has no ears to warn, and no faces to worry for.

His journey to nowhere continues for a bit, but a loud groan from his stomach stops him in his tracks. A quick scan around reveals an apple tree in the distance, which becomes his temporary goal. The only goal within reach, really. It stands like a sacred pillar in an oval of free land, enclosed with more woods. Its branches are decorated with all of two of the fruit, both brightly ripe. There's something hypnotic about a stroke of hope in a hopeless time. It makes one hunger for something to cling on to, and there's no telling when Shadow last ate. As he stands just below the lush green arms, they lower the remainder of their yield to him in a gesture of sympathy. Shadow plucks an apple from the tree's grasp, and examines it for any blemishes. None to be found.

A fizzing sound disturbs the tranquil mood, and just as sudden the apple is struck from Shadow's hand. His insides drop; seemingly from the heavens, an arrow has pierced the fruit to the tree trunk. Shadow's disbelieving eyes find a figure perched in a large oak, some twenty yards away, bolt reloaded and staring him down. It drops to the grass, perfectly on its feet, and begins a threatening walk towards the hedgehog.

Shadow puts his hands up, and backs against the apple tree. He is now able to decipher his foe's appearance; a female - he can tell by how she walks. A feline, by the look of her tail. Lilac fur everywhere that's visible, except for her muzzle and the top of her chest, both white. She sports a ponytail on the top of her head, and a black cloak with gold trim that extends to her knees. Her black tights have a tear on the right thigh, and her expression is just as jagged. Her brown bow is still cocked, and Shadow realizes he's about one slip of the finger away from the end of his life. She stops to make her own observations about him.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" she asks, coldly.

"Uh, my name is Shadow, and uh..." he tries to conjure an escape plan, but can't find a scenario that ends well. He ends up only finding her eyes, which are gold - the color of wealth. "I'm just trying to figure out where I am."

She scowls, "You're dangerously close to my territory, _that's_ where you are." The tip of the arrow sways upward, then right back to Shadow's nose. "This is my tree."

Shadow immediately thinks of a few choice responses, but decides they wouldn't be received well. He feels some sweat roll down to his armpits. "I'm sorry," is what he finally says, "I didn't know."

The feline stares at him for another moment, then lowers her weapon. "Where do you come from?"

"The... the Sanctuary..." Shadow replies, mostly to himself, finally slowing his breaths.

"Where?"

Shadow drops his arms, and lets out a sigh. "Look, I'm very confused right now. Is this Mobius?"

"Yes."

"I... I didn't know there were any more of us left..."

A pause ensues, "What do you mean?"

"After the disease was released... I thought there were only a few hundred of us left. I didn't know anyone else survived it."

"_Disease_?" the cat tilts her head, "The only disease I know of... it happened almost four hundred years ago..."

Shadow's brow shoots up, "I... I don't-"

"You mean you _experienced_ it?" She accepts Shadow's blank stare as an affirmative, and stows her arrow away on her back. She approaches the tree, and hops up to snatch the final apple. "Come with me." she demands, reclaiming her hostile tone.

Shadow can only nod. The feline takes a large hunk out of the fruit with her teeth, and then tosses the rest of it to him as she paces off. They trudge on through the forest, only watched by a subtle cloud of confusion and despair.


End file.
